Advice on in-line Muzzleloader/Blackpowder Rifle Sought??

self ^ | August 26th, 2002 | wardaddy

[wardaddy]

I am now a full member of a Tennessee deer camp and courtesy member of another camp in Mississippi. Both are archery and blackpowder only with stringent buck management and only allow large bucks and mature does to be harvested. I have historically relied on sidehammers but have decided to purchase an inline for optics capabilities and reliability. I have simply missed out on some decent shots at big bucks at dusk last season due to the blurring of iron sights at low light. Therefore, I'm going to take the plunge on a decent in-line. I've looked at the Remington 700ML and the 700ML Magnum. I've reviewed the Ruger, Winchester ,TC, and Knight models as well. I've likewise heard good stuff on the Gonic model.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[wardaddy]

Thanks to all....and good luck in the upcoming season. I'm looking to use a Leupold 3X9X50 with duplex IR for optics.

[wardaddy]

Ker-Pow!

[Taxbilly]

They don't make inline flints ;)

[dd5339]

My wife & I are partial to TC. I've got a TC sidehammer and she has an inline. Their new Omega rifle looks real interesting as does the inline from Savage firing smokeless powder.

In Kansas the hunting regulations specify no optics during muzzle loading season, open sights only. You can however hunt your front stuffer with optics in centerfire season.

Have fun!

Semper Fi

[wardaddy]

Thanks ...both MS and TN allow optics and the 209 shotshell primers. The smokeless Savage would be relegated to Gun season unless one were willing to fudge...LOL.

I feel traitorous enough breaking my relatively purist mindset by seeking an inline over a sidehammer. The Omegas do seem quite nice.

[DCBryan1]

Ruger has lifetime warranty...they have 3 models, A wood/blue, a blk synthetic/stainless, and a laminate/stainless.

A little pricey, but a worthy, life long investment.

[wardaddy]

I know....I feel like I'm abandoning my principles a bit. I own a Pedersoli Jaeger .54, a Pedersoli .45 Super Cub for my daughter and a custom made .50 Appalachin Mt Rifle....all percussion.

I just need about 15 minutes more of light gathering capabilities for the big fellows. I think they have it down to a science when I'm leaving the woods with my iron sights..lol....I'm always the first back to the golf cart on the logging road waiting on my hunting partner. Yep...no four wheelers in our camps allowed...only electric golf carts. Seriously. Either that or walk in or out. 4000 acres is a good walk. One may use a 4 wheeler or my old Land Rover for retrieval after everyone is out of the woods and the blood dogs have been brought in for the archery boys. I've seen few deer hit with a muzzleloader that required a blood dog to find them.

Thanks.

[Squantos]

Ruger 77/50 in stainless or blue............best inline I have used of late. I still have a very old TC hawken (w/ long tang) in 54 caliber that I use for elk and mulies but the ruger 77/50 is a purdy piece of hardware indeed.

Stay Safe !

[wardaddy]

I like anything Ruger makes. My only problem is that I'm tempted to go with a model that will take 150 grains pyrodex pellets ....maybe. I don't think the Rugers are capable of over 100 grains. My cousin who is a "master" big buck hunter thinks 100 grains is plenty. Others I know, swear my the magnums for velocity/energy dispersal. I have had sufficient luck with 70-100 grains of conventional blackpowder in my sidehammers. That .54 jaeger shooting a 500 grain maxi/minie has serious knockdown power.

thanks for your input.

[SLB]

I have an old TC hawken I put together from a kit in the late 70's. Bought the kit from JC Penny mailorder straight to an APO. I finished it at Ft Hood. Almost cost a marriage when I browned the barrel in the kitchen using the range to heat it. Wow, talk about stink!

Love that little gun though - a .50 that shoots as sweet as you can ask.

My son-in-law has an in line Knight - he likes it, but I am a little more purist in thought about black powder.

[wardaddy]

That's two Ruger kudos so far. I may forgo the 150 grain powder of the magnums.

Thanks.....I know a Ruger is as reliable as my toddler messing his huggies at the dinner table.

[wardaddy]

I'm purist too...at least in my heart. Last season down at camp in Mississippi on Bayou Pierre near Port Gibson, I saw several large bucks meander out in the open at dusk. I simply could not get a good fix with iron sights(even though i had a decent fix with my binoculars) nor could i judge their spread for camp regs. I let them go not having a certain shot. Everytime, I then went back to the rendevous on the trail and waited another 20 minutes or so for the optically enhanced hunters to come out of the woods. I've given in. That's not to say I wouldn't use my traditional guns in the morning or after I've gotten a wall worthy buck and am strictly hunting for meat.

[Squantos]

If your not after elk and or big rockie mulies I'd suspect the 50 would be fine. Modern sabot bullet designs ect ect makes the point almost moot.......:o)

Stay Safe WD !!

[Squantos]

Agree, I did the same thing with mine except I did the rust brown , bury it , water it thang in the back yard. Still shoots fine and is one of the most accurate front stuffers I own.

Stay Safe !

[Joe Brower]

I've had in the back of my mind a hankering to get me a Kentucky rifle kit from CVA and put it together, just for the heck of it. Using it for hunting, well, that would depend on how well it worked after it was assembled!

I had one of these, along with a matching pistol (both .45 cal) when I was in high school, but after I did my stint in the Navy and returned home, I dunno where they went! Oh, well...

[Intimidator]

I've heard alot of good things about the T/C Encore. I personally have a CVA Hawken sidelock because I couldn't see paying the heavy price for a T/C when my season in NC is only a week for muzzleloader. Ask the folks over on TNDEER.com

[Lee Heggy]

The nice thing about the TC line is the interchangeable barrels and the overall excellent quality. Smoothbore or rifled they are about as good as it gets. Get one now before the ATF decides these are too much gun for the average person to own.

[wardaddy]

Thanks.....me and kit guns ....I'd be scared to shoot something I made. I have never been terribly mechanical. I hope my boys got some of my wife's dad's genes. He restores MOPAR antique trucks for a hobby....very nicely too.

[wardaddy]

Good point. All the online stores already consider the Encores to merit FFL or background database for purcahse for some reason.

[wardaddy]

Most folks I know shoot sabots with their inlines. I do know a few however who still prefer a heavy grain maxi/minie for knockdown. I'm not sure. A fast moving .44 sabot bullet is still mighty big.

If money were no object....the Ruger, The Pfiefer(sic), Gonic, or the high end TCs or Knights would all do very well. Supposedly the Gonic burns nearly all it's powder and will send a .44 sabot at 1600 fps....the hottest of the non-magnum loads(100 grain).

The new Remington and Winchesters will shoot 150 grains as well....supposedly.

The Ruger is coming out with a musket cap breech any day. The Ruger is undoubtedly the safest and perhaps best craftsmanship of anything I've looked at.

It's a tuff choice. I know I'll spend more on the optics. Unlike many others who would scoff at that, I bet you understand.

It's not like conventional rifles for hunting where I'm a bit more familiar. I could live with a Winchester model 100, a Ruger model 1 in big bore, a BAR, and maybe a Mannlicher or Sako bolt forever. (I'm leaving black guns out of that wish list..lol)

I'm not sure but I'm leaning towards the TC T-bolt or Black Diamond or the Ruger or the Winchester 150. I really would like to have the extra 50 grain pellet in case I do get a decent field shot.